The surprise shirt is causing a stir amongst fans  

Boxes sold online offer customers the chance to receive a football shirt without knowing which team it is from in advance. The phenomenon appeals because of the element of surprise, the experience of sharing it with friends and the joy of unboxing, but its success may be short-lived.   

A sealed box, an unknown shirt, the promise of a surprise  

For several seasons now, companies have been selling boxes containing a football shirt, the team of which remains unknown until the moment the box is opened. Customers therefore pay for a product they do not entirely choose. They know the category, and sometimes certain parameters, but not the final result.  

This mechanism is reminiscent of other products based on anticipation and discovery. Pokémon cards, Labubu and other products whose exact contents remain unknown rely on the same principle: the desire to find out what you’ve got.   

Antoine and Tanguy’s experience  

Antoine, 25, a loyal supporter of KV Mechelen, discovered this concept on social media. Like many young people drawn to these formats, he was captivated not only by the product itself, but by the idea of unboxing it. He therefore decided to give it a go with his friend Tanguy, who is also 25. 

Tanguy receives a Belgium shirt. Antoine, for his part, receives a Glasgow Rangers shirt. Satisfaction then depends on several factors, some of which are very personal. The shirt’s appearance matters, of course, but that’s not all.  

“If the shirt’s ugly, it’s automatically less fun,” explains Tanguy, a supporter of the Red Devils.  

For him, the value of a shirt isn’t limited to the fabric or the colours. It also depends on the team that wore it and the sporting achievements associated with it.  

Antoine sees things a little differently. He already owns several shirts from his favourite teams. Receiving an unexpected shirt therefore allows him to break out of his routine.  

“They allow me to receive shirts that I would never have thought of buying on my own initiative,” he says of these mystery boxes.  

Consumers aren’t necessarily looking to get the most prestigious or most eagerly awaited shirt. They’re happy to leave room for chance, provided it remains within certain limits. Antoine explains that, before placing his order, he was able to specify certain teams whose shirts he didn’t want to receive. For him, this option greatly reduces the risk of disappointment.  

Fear of the rival: when surprise turns to tension 

Whilst chance can be amusing, it can also be a cause for concern. Bastien, 23, a supporter of both Real Madrid and Arsenal, has experienced this first-hand. He, too, discovered the concept through a friend. Very quickly, he placed an order with his group of mates. But as they waited for the boxes to be opened, one fear loomed large: that they might end up with an FC Barcelona shirt.  

For a Real Madrid fan, receiving a shirt from their arch-rivals would obviously have a completely different meaning. Bastien makes no secret of the fact that he would have found it hard to accept.   

“I was a bit worried about getting a rival club like Barcelona. I think I would have sold it,” he explains.  

Again, some platforms allow you to exclude certain teams. But in Bastien’s case, it was a group order. The option therefore had to apply to everyone, and some of his friends saw no problem with receiving a Barça shirt.   

In the end, Bastien received the Portugal shirt. The experience was a success. He and his friends even went on to repeat the purchase twice more. The fun lies not only in the result, but in the ritual: opening the boxes together, watching each other’s reactions, comparing the shirts, and laughing at the good or bad surprises.  

“When it comes to opening the box, there’s a bit of tension. We open it in front of everyone, and we discover each other’s shirts together, one by one,” he explains.  

Unboxing at the heart of the purchase 

This phenomenon is therefore not based solely on a love of football. It is underpinned by a broader mechanism: turning the purchase into a game. Sandra Rothenberger, a professor of marketing, strategy and innovation at the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, sees it as “a blend of human beings’ natural curiosity and their desire to have fun”. 

According to her, the companies marketing these boxes are selling an experience rather than just a shirt. The product remains important, but it is no longer the sole focus of the purchase. It’s all about the anticipation, the unboxing, the excitement and the sharing.  

“We are witnessing a form of gamification of the football shirt: it’s all about unboxing, excitement, discovery and sharing. You’re not just buying a product: you’re discovering it,” explains Sandra Rothenberger.  

Sandra Rothenberger believes the phenomenon may be short-lived. In marketing terms, she links it to what is known as the ‘one-time effect’: a concept that works well once or twice before losing its appeal.  

A game of chance without a casino, but with the same emotional appeal  

Can we really call it a game of chance? In reality, the customer does receive a shirt. So they don’t lose everything, as they would in a traditional bet. But the emotions involved are similar: the anticipation, the uncertainty, the hope of a good draw, the fear of being drawn against an undesirable team, and then the reaction when the draw is revealed.  

Football further reinforces this dynamic, as shirts are never neutral. They embody an identity, a rivalry, a memory. Receiving a shirt from a national team, a historic club or a hated rival does not provoke the same reaction. The perceived value varies according to each person’s tastes, memories and loyalties.  

Mystery shirt boxes say something about the changing nature of football-related consumption. Supporters no longer just buy merchandise linked to their club. They are also seeking experiences, stories and items that will make them stand out from the crowd.